No. 11 The Adventure of the Naval Treaty by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the naval treaty

by Arthur Conan Doyle

the July which immediately succeeded my marriage was_made memorable by three cases of interest, in_which I had the privilege of being associated with Sherlock Holmes and of studying his methods . I_find them recorded in my notes under the headings of " the adventure of_the second stain," " the adventure of_the naval treaty," and " the adventure of_the tired captain ." the first of_these, however, deals with interest of_such importance and implicates so_many_of_the first families in_the kingdom that for many years it_will_be impossible to_make it public . no case, however, in_which Holmes was engaged has ever illustrated the value of_his analytical methods so clearly or has impressed those who were associated with_him so deeply .I still retain an almost verbatim report of_the interview in_which he demonstrated the true facts of_the case to Monsieur Dubugue of_the Paris police, and Fritz von Waldbaum, the well- known specialist of Dantzig, both of whom had wasted their energies upon what proved to_be side- issues . the new century will_have come, however, before_the story can_be safely told . meanwhile I pass on to_the second on my list, which promised also at one_time to_be of national importance, and was marked by several incidents which give it a quite unique character .

during my school-days I had_been intimately associated with alad named Percy Phelps, who was of much the same age as myself, though he_was two classes ahead of me . he_was a very brilliant boy, and carried away every prize which the school had to offer, finished his exploits by winning a scholarship which sent him on to_continue his triumphant career at Cambridge . he_was, I remember, extremely well connected, and even when we were all little boys together we_knew that his mother's brother was lord Holdhurst, the great conservative politician . this gaudy relationship did him little good at school . on_the contrary, it seemed rather a piquant thing to_us to chevy him about_the playground and hit him over the shins with a wicket . but it_was another thing when he_came out into_the world .I heard vaguely that his abilities and_the influences which he commanded had won him a good position at_the foreign office, and then he passed completely out of_my mind until the following letter recalled his existence:

Briarbrae, Woking .

my dear WATSON,--

I_have no_doubt that you_can remember " tadpole" Phelps, who was in_the fifth form when_you were in_the third . it_is possible even that you_may_have heard that through my uncle's influence I obtained a good appointment at_the foreign office, and_that i_was in a situation of trust and honour until a horrible misfortune came suddenly to blast my career .

there_is no use writing of_the details of_that dreadful event . in_the event of your acceding to my request it_is probably that I_shall_have to narrate them to_you . I_have only just recovered from nine weeks of brain- fever, and am still exceedingly weak . do_you_think that you_could bring your friend Mr Holmes down to_see me ? i_should like to_have his opinion of_the case, though the authorities assure me that nothing more can_be_done . do try to bring him down, and as_soon_as_possible . every_minute seems an hour while I live in_this state of horrible suspense . assure him that if I_have_not asked his advice sooner it_was not because I_did_not appreciate his talents, but because I_have_been off my head ever_since the blow fell . now I_am clear again, though I dare not think of it too_much for fear of a relapse . I_am still so weak that I_have to write, as you_see, by dictating . do try to bring him .

your old school- fellow,

PERCY PHELPS .

there_was something that touched me as I_read this letter, something pitiable in_the reiterated appeals to bring Holmes . so moved was I that even had it been a difficult matter i_should_have tried it, but of_course I_knew well that Holmes loved his art, so_that he_was ever as ready to bring his aid as his client could_be to receive it . my wife agreed with me that not a moment should_be lost in laying the matter before him, and so within an hour of breakfast- time I_found myself back once more in_the old rooms in baker street .

Holmes was seated at his side- table clad in_his dressing- gown, and working hard over a chemical investigation .a large curved retort was boiling furiously in_the bluish flame of aBunsen burner, and_the distilled drops were condensing into a two-litre measure . my friend hardly glanced up as I entered, and I, seeing that his investigation must_be of importance, seated myself in an arm- chair and waited . he dipped into_this bottle or that, drawing out a few drops of each with_his glass pipette, and finally brought a test- tube containing a solution over to_the table . in_his right hand he held a slip of litmus- paper .

" you come at a crisis, Watson," said he ." if_this paper remains blue, all is well . if_it turns red, it means a man's life ." he dipped it into_the test- tube and it flushed at once into a dull, dirty crimson ." hum ! i_thought as_much ! " he cried ." i_will_be at your service in an instant, Watson . you_will_find tobacco in_the Persian slipper ." he turned to_his desk and scribbled off several telegrams, which were handed over to_the page- boy . then he threw himself down into_the chair opposite, and drew up his knees until his fingers clasped round his long, thin shins .

"A very commonplace little murder," said he ." you've got something better, I fancy . you_are the stormy petrel of crime, Watson . what_is it ? "

I handed him the letter, which he read with_the most concentrated attention .

" it does_not tell us very_much, does it ? " he remarked, as he handed it back to_me .

" hardly anything ."

" and yet the writing is of interest ."

" but the writing is_not his own ."

" precisely . it_is a woman's ."

"A man's surely," I cried .

" no, a woman's, and a woman of rare character . you_see, at_the commencement of an investigation it_is something to_know that your client is in close contact with some one who, for good or evil, has an exceptional nature . my interest is already awakened in_the case . if_you_are ready we_will start at once for Woking, and_see this diplomatist who_is in_such evil case, and_the lady to_whom he dictates his letters ."

we were fortunate enough to catch an early train at Waterloo, and in a little under an hour we_found ourselves among_the fir-woods and_the heather of Woking .Briarbrae proved to_be a large detached house standing in extensive grounds within a few_minutes' walk of_the station . on sending in_our cards we were shown into an elegantly appointed drawing- room, where we were joined in_a_few_minutes by a rather stout man who received us with much hospitality . his age may have_been nearer forty than thirty, but his cheeks were so ruddy and_his eyes so merry that he still conveyed the impression of a plump and mischievous boy .

" I_am so glad that you_have come," said he, shaking our hands with effusion ."Percy has_been inquiring for_you all morning .Ah, poor old chap, he clings to any straw ! his father and_his mother asked me to_see you, for_the mere mention of_the subject is very painful to_them ."

" we_have_had no details yet," observed Holmes ."I perceive that you_are_not yourself a member of_the family ."

our acquaintance looked surprised, and then, glancing down, he began to laugh .

" of_course you saw the J H monogram on my locket," said he ." for a moment i_thought you had done something clever . Joseph Harrison is my name, and as Percy is to marry my sister Annie I_shall at_least be a relation by marriage . you_will_find my sister in_his room, for she has nursed him hand- and- foot this two months back . perhaps we'd better go in at once, for I_know how impatient he_is ."

the chamber in_which we were shown was on_the same floor as_the drawing- room . it_was furnished partly as asitting and partly as a bedroom, with flowers arranged daintily in every nook and corner .a young man, very pale and worn, was lying upon a sofa near the open window, through which came the rich scent of_the garden and_the balmy summer air .a woman was sitting beside him, who rose as_we entered .

" shall I leave, Percy ? " she asked .

he clutched her hand to detain her ." how are_you, Watson ? " said he, cordially ." i_should never have known you under that moustache, and I dare say you_would_not_be prepared to swear to_me . this I presume is your celebrated friend, Mr Sherlock Holmes ? "

I introduced him in a few words, and we both sat down . the stout young man had left us, but his sister still remained with her hand in_that of_the invalid . she was astriking- looking woman, a little short and thick for symmetry, but with a beautiful olive complexion, large, dark, Italian eyes, and a wealth of deep black hair . her rich tints made the white face of her companion the more worn and haggard by_the contrast .

"I won't waste your time," said he, raising himself upon_the sofa ."I'll plunge into_the matter without further preamble . i_was a happy and successful man, Mr Holmes, and on_the eve of being married, when a sudden and dreadful misfortune wrecked all my prospects in life .

" i_was, as Watson may_have told you, in_the foreign office, and through_the influences of_my uncle, lord Holdhurst, I rose rapidly to a responsible position . when my uncle became foreign minister in_this administration he_gave me several missions of trust, and as I always brought them to a successful conclusion, he_came at last to_have the utmost confidence in my ability and tact .

" nearly ten weeks_ago-- to_be more accurate, on_the 23d of may-- he_called me into his private room, and, after complimenting me on_the good work which I had done, he informed me that he had a new commission of trust for_me to execute .

"' this,' said he, taking agrey roll of paper from_his bureau, ' is_the original of_that secret treaty between England and Italy of_which, I_regret to_say, some rumours have already got into_the public press . it_is of enormous importance that nothing further should leak out . the French or the Russian embassy would pay an immense sum to learn the contents of_these papers . they should_not leave my bureau were it not that_it_is absolutely necessary to_have them copied . you_have a desk in your office ? "

"' yes, sir .'

"' then take_the treaty and lock it up there . I_shall give directions that you_may remain behind when_the others go, so_that you_may copy it at your leisure without fear of being overlooked . when_you have finished, relock both the original and_the draft in_the desk, and hand them over to_me personally to- morrow morning .'

" i_took the papers and--"

" excuse me an instant," said Holmes ." were you alone during this conversation ? "

" absolutely ."

" in a large room ? "

"Thirty feet each way ."

" in_the centre ? "

" yes, about_it ."

" and speaking low ? "

" my uncle's voice is always remarkably low .I hardly spoke at all ."

" thank_you," said Holmes, shutting his eyes; " pray go on ."

" I_did exactly what he indicated, and waited until the other clerks had departed . one_of_them in my room, Charles Gorot, had some arrears of work to_make up, so I left him there and went out to dine . when I returned he_was gone . i_was anxious to hurry my work, for I_knew that Joseph-- the Mr Harrison whom you saw just now-- was in town, and_that he_would travel down to Woking by_the eleven-o'clock train, and i_wanted if possible to catch it .

" when I_came to examine the treaty I_saw at once that_it_was of_such importance that my uncle had_been guilty of no exaggeration in what he had said . without going into details, I_may say that_it defined the position of Great_Britain towards the triple alliance, and fore- shadowed the policy which this country would pursue in_the event of_the French fleet gaining a complete ascendancy over that of Italy in_the Mediterranean . the questions treated in_it were purely naval . at_the end were the signatures of_the high dignitaries who had signed it .I glanced my eyes over it, and then settled down to my task of copying .

" it_was a long document, written in_the French language, and containing twenty-six separate articles .I copied as quickly as I_could, but at nine o'clock I had only done nine articles, and it seemed hopeless for_me to attempt to catch my train . i_was feeling drowsy and stupid, partly from my dinner and also from_the effects of a long day's work .a cup of coffee would clear my brain .acommissionnaire remains all night in a little lodge at_the foot of_the stairs, and_is in_the habit of making coffee at his spirit- lamp for any of_the officials who_may_be working over time .I rang the bell, therefore, to summon him .

" to my surprise, it_was a woman who answered the summons, a large, coarse- faced, elderly woman, in an apron . she explained that she was_the commissionnaire's wife, who did the charing, and I_gave her the order for_the coffee .

" i_wrote two more articles and then, feeling more drowsy than ever, I rose and walked up and down the room to stretch my legs . my coffee had_not yet come, and I wondered what_was the cause of_the delay could_be .Opening the door, I started down the corridor to_find out . there_was a straight passage, dimly lighted, which led from_the room in_which I had_been working, and was_the only exit from_it . it ended in acurving staircase, with_the commissionnaire's lodge in_the passage at_the bottom . half way down this staircase is a small landing, with another passage running into_it at right angles . this second one leads by_means of a second small stair to a side door, used by servants, and also as a short cut by clerks when coming from Charles street . here_is a rough chart of_the place ."

" thank_you . i_think that I quite follow you," said Sherlock Holmes .

" it_is of_the utmost importance that you_should notice this point .I went down

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